Natural Gas Steam Methane Reforming (NGSMR) is the most widely used industrial process for hydrogen (H₂) production due to its high efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and operational reliability. This graduation project presents the design and engineering analysis of an industrial-scale NGSMR process. The study begins with an overview of hydrogen production methods, highlighting the advantages of NGSMR and the importance of hydrogen in petroleum refining and petrochemical industries, particularly in ammonia production for urea fertilizer manufacturing.
Material and energy balance calculations were carried out to determine the process requirements and to design a fixed-head shell-and-tube heat exchanger. The main design parameters, including the heat exchanger dimensions, shell-side cooling water volume, tube- side process gas volume, and the required number of tubes, were calculated using standard chemical engineering design methods.
Aspen HYSYS was used to verify the material and energy balance calculations and to confirm the process operating conditions. The calculated results indicated that the purification section could achieve approximately 99% removal of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and carbon monoxide (CO), producing a hydrogen-rich stream with a hydrogen concentration of approximately 75 mol%. In addition, process safety was considered by reviewing the Hydrogen Safety Data Sheet (SDS), emphasizing the importance of leak detection systems, adequate ventilation, explosion-proof equipment, and emergency response procedures due to the high flammability and wide explosive range of hydrogen.
This project demonstrates the application of chemical engineering principles in process design, equipment sizing, calculation verification, and safety assessment, providing a practical understanding of industrial hydrogen production using natural gas steam reforming.